Official opening of the first ThermoSeed plant in Norway

On Wednesday February 1st 2012 Felleskjöpet Agri SA will be officially opening the ThermoSeedTM processing plant in Holstad, Norway. The target is to treat around 25,000 tons of seed per year. This will make Norway the second country in the world to start using the ThermoSeed method on this scale. To mark the occasion a seminar focusing on ThermoSeed and IPM (Integrated Pest Management) will be held followed by the opening ceremony and tour of the plant.

The ThermoSeed method is an effective and environmentally friendly method for disinfecting seed with hot humid air without the use of any chemicals whatsoever.ThermoSeed was developed by the Uppsala company SeedGard AB, whose owners included Lantmännen, SLU and Anders Wall. SeedGard AB has since been acquired by INCOTEC and is now known as INCOTEC Sweden AB. Lantmännen and INCOTEC are now responsible for continued development of the ThermoSeed technology and its launch in the international market.

The equipment installed in Holstad is the same type used at Lantmännen's plant in Skara, Sweden. Following a long period of evaluation and analysis Felleskjöpet Agri SA decided to replace a large proportion of its plant protection products with ThermoSeed. One important factor contributing to this decision was that Lantmännen's ThermoSeed plant in Skara had been operating for many years with very good results. In 2010 Felleskjöpet Agri SA ordered two processing lines for its plant in Holstad. This strategic decision gives Felleskjöpet a unique position in the world."It's fantastic that it is Felleskjöpet, which has been in the development phase for such a long time, that has taken the lead and will now become the world's largest ThermoSeed user. This is a major step towards international expansion," says Kenneth Alness of INCOTEC Sweden AB.

Bjørn Stabbetorp, Marketing Manager for Plant Cultivation from Felleskjøpet Agri SA, "It feels like the right moment to invest in a sustainable alternative for now and the future and to phase out the use of chemicals".

About Lantmännen:Lantmännen is one of the largest groups in the agriculture, machinery, energy and food industries in the Nordic region. Lantmännen's brands include Axa, Kungsörnen, Kronfågel, GoGreen, Hatting and Gooh. Lantmännen is owned by more than 36,000 Swedish farmers. It has more than 10,000 employees, operates in 18 countries and has a turnover of SEK 36 billion. Lantmännen operates throughout the entire food processing chain and we take responsibility from field to fork. Find out more at: www.lantmannen.com and www.lantmannen.se.